Stone Counting for scoring?

[erocktattoo]

I was wondering the very old Stone Counting method of scoring is good to use in a fun friends-family game of Go? It seems Area scoring is difficult for many people to grasp, myself included! I actually use the Kifu Snap App to score games with my kids. I think they will have more fun at the game using the Stone Counting Method. But will this hinder them when they get older and play at clubs or with others who use the Area scoring method?

[gennan]

I guess it depends on where you are. In Europe, territory scoring is the most common way used in clubs.

But I don't think you need to worry much about it. Use the method that you are most comfortable with to teach. If that's stone counting, do that.

[erocktattoo]

Thank you, sir!

[RobertJasiek]

If you mean stone SCORING,

the strategic difference is the group tax. Otherwise, the game is essentially the same. Therefore, there is no objection for family use.


If you mean stone COUNTING,

familiarise yourself with the stone counting methods and choose one:

Stone counting for area scoring:
http://home.snafu.de/jasiek/int.html#Counting
http://home.snafu.de/jasiek/int.html#SpecialCommentsTR

Prisoner-counting for stone-scoring:
https://senseis.xmp.net/?PrisonerCounti ... oneScoring

[Pio2001]

Hi,
I regularly play with beginners (30 to 25 kyu). I teach them area scoring. It's something that's easy for me to understand and explain: the number of points is the size of "what you own" on the board, plus 7.5 points for White.

Later I introduce territory scoring, because everyone counts like this (except maybe in China), so I think that it is good that they see it, so that they are not confused if they play with someone else. But I find territory counting a bit difficult to explain to beginners, especially because when I'm playing with them, I usually pass a lot of times at the end.
So I just show them how to do, without explaining the details.

Stone scoring is a good idea for novice players. If they play slowly, you may try playing on a 7x7 board.

Novice players can't count the territory score by themselves, because it is necessary to assess what's alive and what's dead before counting. That's a good reason to use area or stones at home, so that people can play some games even if you are not there to help them. Their game may look nonsensical for us, but at least, they can find a winner just by counting what's on the board.

I actually use the Kifu Snap App to score games with my kids. I think they will have more fun at the game using the Stone Counting Method.

If Kifu Snap can give them the stone score, it is ok.
If not, or if they want to practice with Crazy Stone, it is better to use area scoring than stone scoring, and tell them to set Crazy Stone on Chinese rule, otherwise, they might not understand why the score given by the soft (area + komi) is different from the score they see on the board (stones).
I don't remember how Igowin counts the score.